"About..." books by Catherine Sill

It's rare to find museum-quality paintings in a book targeted for young children, but Catherine Sill's books in her About series have that unique feature. About Hummingbirds (2011), an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book, pairs text consisting of one- or two-sentences per page with full page illustrations. The format of the text makes this a perfect book for young students to read independently. Facts such as "Hummingbirds are found in different habitats" are supported by husband John Sill's beautifully detailed paintings, called Plates. In the Afterword section, each plate is further explained with addition details. This book has 18 such plates. Other features include a glossary, suggested books and websites for additional information, and the resources used by Catherine in creating the book.

A second book by Sill is About Deserts (revised edition 2012). This is one of her four books pertaining to habitats (Mountains, Grasslands, and Wetlands are the other habitats profiled in this series). Similar in format to the Hummingbird book, simply structured text is supported by realistic paintings on full page plates. One of the best features of this book is that it includes features of a desert that students would typically consider (heat, plant life, sand) as well as those they might not. Deserts, categorized by rainfall amounts, are typically thought of as hot and dry -- but they can also be cold and dry! Both are included in this book, along with locations of various deserts around the world.

Interested in more nature-based books by Catherine Sill? Check out her booklist here.

Meet Melissa Stewart!

With bumblebees buzzing around the budding trees, and frogs bellowing in the marshy bogs, it's easy to forget that we've neither heard nor seen certain animals all winter. Have you ever wondered where those bees and frogs have been? What about the ladybugs and snakes you might see around your house or in the nearby park?

Author Melissa Stewart, who presented with us at the recent NSTA conference, has an excellent book to engage students with thinking about where animals have been all winter.  Under the Snow (2009) is just one of Melissa's 150 nonfiction books for children. The opening sentence of this book instantly creates an advanced organizer for the reader: "In the heart of winter, a deep layer of snow blankets fields and forests, ponds and wetlands." This "hidden world" under our feet and under the ice is captured by watercolor illustrations, with simple yet descriptive text about animals in each of these
four habitats.

A similarly styled book by Melissa is When Rain Falls (2008). In this book, animals in the forest, field, wetland and desert are portrayed as rain falls. We learn about the hawk, which "puffs out its feather to keep water out and warmth in," as well as ants, which "stay safe in their underground nests." Both of these book are definitely appropriate as read-alouds for primary students, and the beautiful watercolor illustrations can support new vocabulary such as "crevice."

Are you looking for a book to apply cause and effect? Try A Place for Birds (2009). This book provides age-appropriate descriptions of how human actions impact birds. For example, one page spread depicts the Eastern bluebirds, with sidebar text describing how nesting needs of these birds are adversely impacted by cutting down dead trees and replacing wooden fenceposts with metal ones. The main text reads: "Some birds can only build their nests in small hollow places. When people build nesting boxes that are the right size and shape, birds can live and grow." The text of each subsequent page spread continues with the pattern of "When people (engage in an action)... birds can live and grow."We love how positive solutions are presented in each scenario!

A final note is Melissa's blog, which focuses on nonfiction books for children, and her "Science Clubhouse" website, with links for kids, teachers, and librarians. Definitely check out her teacher resources on the clubhouse website, which include curriculum guides and Readers Theatre scripts! Melissa makes it easy to integrate science and literacy!